Season 4, Episode 1: Firewalls
by Musing Joplin
Summary: Ep.1 Firewalls: After Cassidy admits the truth, Kyle is forced to face his changes & the consequences that follow. But when Kyle is admitted in the hospital after the confrontation, he makes an unexpected discovery. He may just have a shot at a normal life after all.
1. Ch 1 Blackout

**Author Notes:** Since there's been a Kyle XY continuation wave sweeping the fans... I figured, I should be apart of it too. Entire italicized lines are canon lines in the series. Centered, non-italicized lines is Kyle's narration.

So, here it is, my season four. Enjoy.

* * *

**Kyle XY**

**Season Four**.** Episode 1:** Firewalls

* * *

**Previously in Kyle XY:**

"Why'd you do that!" Jessi said in utmost agitation.

Amanda retaliated with the same amount of disdain, "I thought you could use some help."

Jessi shot back, "It's not going to work, because you don't hit hard enough."

Amanda detested the emphasis.

Just then, Nate, who managed to shake off the lamp hit, abruptly grabbed her arm. Never feeling so irritated, Amanda made an elbow shot for Nate's face knocking him out with a single blow. "Better?" wearing a triumphant smirk.

Jessi leaned forward glancing at his body, then she looked over at Amanda with a momentary impressed expression.

.

Back at the warehouse, getting manhandled out of the warehouse - Mark finished his project with little

Mark turned around, walking back to the computer almost forgetting his flash-drive only to see Kyle land dramatically onto his feet. Mark jumped backward from the sheer shock from Kyle landed safely from a five or six-story drop.

"Kyle! H-How'd you-! What are you doing here?"

.

Jessi opened a folder revealing a number of Baylin's research papers and even a small, velvet, black pouch. She touched it lightly before lifting it over the vanilla folders. The ropes loosening, Jessi turned it over and out tumbled a Latnok ring fitted with not a blue, but a red gem. Jessi felt her lips press together.

Amanda whispered. "That ring, it looks like the one Kyle wears around his neck."

"Nate stole it from Cassidy." Jessi sighed, "It belonged to my mother."

Jessi then sentimentally slipped it onto her ring finger and became reverent to the metal jewelry as she looked onto it. Amanda stepped back, soaking it in and then it came to her in vivid detail. Before her was a vague explanation as to why Kyle and Jessi were so close. They had a connection long before Amanda and Kyle were even together, and possibly before she met him. Whatever Kyle's secrets were, it was clear that not only was Jessi was aware of them, she was apart of them.

"So, I guess you kind of helped me find it."

Amanda bit her lip, "...And you saved me, so I guess we're even?"

Jessi busied herself, allowing the tension between them to grow once again.

"Look, I know we've never really gotten along... but, I don't know... I feel like that we've got a little bit closer than before." She paused for a second, waiting on any reaction before she continued, but it seemed that Jessi was going to continue giving her little attention. "So, I think it's only fair that I tell you..."

However, Jessi was listening intently, and now to have her stop in the middle of a sentence irked her.

She perked up her eyes and looked over to her with sharp and wide eyes, "Tell me what?"

Amanda inhaled lightly and straightened herself. "I'm going to tell Kyle that I want him back."

Jessi adopted a snake-like quality in the way she made herself taller to the girl-next-door. "You really have the nerve to say that? After everything that happened tonight?"

"Like I said, fair warning. You deserve it."

Jessi and Amanda both acknowledged the unspoken bond.

"You're a lot braver than I thought."

.

"Why are you doing this!" Kyle fell onto the floor, his spasms leading to his labored breathing.

"Because that is what they want. That's what she wants. And if you try to stop me, I'm just going to have to keep hurting you. And then, I'm going to hurt Jessi until she wishes she really had died. And just when you think it couldn't get any worse, I'll hurt everybody that ever mattered to you..."

Kyle's eyes were still set onto the floor, much to Cassidy's chagrin.

"Starting with Amanda." Kyle turned his chin upward. And there it was, the sudden irate stare that sent satisfying chills down Cassidy's spine.

"How you feeling about that, mate?"

"Nicole had been right when she said that she didn't recognize the person I've become. The person I had been before would've never done this."

Kyle's uppercut sent him flying through the twin doors, shattering them. Clutching onto Cassidy's shirt, Kyle brought his neck to the threshold of his right hand. As he was lifted by his very neck, Cassidy was forced to restrain himself to stop moving at all cost, lest he wished to smother himself. The control Kyle had on his throat was detestably extraordinary. The trachea pinched, but not crushed.

_"Grace Kingsley? I've seen that name before."_

_"Latnok are scientists, but they have a very clinical point of view."_

_"Who knew what a clever little liar you would be."_

_"I had no choice."_

_Nicole shouted, "Don't do something you'll regret!"_

_Jessi boiled, "He Killed My Mother."_

_"How lucky for me that you still have Adam's ring. How awfully sentimental."_

_"You can have a normal life, Kyle."_

_"I wished you would've taken their offer. You can't keep doing this to our family! It's just not you!"_

_"Maybe she is evil as everyone says she is."_

_"An hour out of the pod and she murdered someone. I'm afraid that's the sort of person that she is. It's in her nature."_

_"I am not a killer!"_

_"We all have choices."_

Kyle stared menacingly into Cassidy's eyes. The murderer of a murderer. As it happened, he thought it was all for show, just one more lie. But when Kyle felt Cassidy's heartbeat in his hands, it felt so much more than a bluff. It was then, Kyle concluded... this was not a lie.

"You won't do it."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because Grace Kingsley... my mother..."

"What about her?" Kyle baited.

"She's your mother, too... I'm your brother."

.

* * *

.

**- Episode 1: Firewalls -**

**.**

Underneath Kyle's boiling exterior, his body was in shock when his mind finally caught with his emotions. The hand around Cassidy's neck nonetheless clutched tighter without his permission. Unexpectedly, Kyle felt his former self returning in the recesses of his mind_, _a Kyle that didn't understand anything.

Cassidy meanwhile, grew a red-faced scowl to breath._  
_

_"_I was finally able to see… the change that I'd gone through. Cassidy and I were brothers and we were ready to kill each other. I never understood hatred before but now I felt as if I've known it all along_. _And I was terrified._"_

Kyle released his brother suddenly as his eyes stared down at the remnants of the door frame.

Cassidy fell hard onto the patio with a grunt, and the veins across his neck and skull were plump. The redness of skin slowly scattered away as he brought his hand to nurse his neck. Kyle read his vitals haphazardly as the wall moldings centered his entire attention.

Jessi would've been proud of his poker face for inside he was lost to no end. Kyle Trager almost ended a life. For once, his heart didn't feel so certain in his once upstanding morals.

_"You were always one of the good guys. I just... didn't want to believe it."_

_"I try to be."_

_"You are."_

Kyle shifted his head dejectedly to the one side, sending his eyes downcast. Even with Amanda no longer apart of his life, he really didn't want to disappoint her.

Momentarily, Cassidy was able to nudge a smirk upon his face as he attempted to sit up. A forced chuckle found its way through a sigh. "Cutting it close, were you?"

The muscles in Kyle's forearm tensed. More than anything, Kyle hoped Cassidy would call it a night and leave.

Kyle's glare softened. "Leave."

Cassidy stood up, lending a hand out for Kyle to shake, "I'm willing to forgive-"

Kyle sent a right hook into his face. Cassidy's head smacked downward with his hair thrown at out place. The sound brought more satisfaction than Kyle felt comfortable with.

If it was painfully obvious Cassidy was a front man before, it would have been then. Unflinching even charmingly, the older man brought his arm near his face, using his wrist to fix up his jaw. Cassidy had been punched before. As he recomposed himself, the brothers began staring at each other down through scowls and glowers.

Meanwhile, Kyle's desk lamp flickered, the Bloom security lights brightened, and the kitchen lights hummed. The hum, no louder than a pin dropping, undermined the air.

The street lamps blinked and the smallest of dirt particles were levitating over the ground. It was one of the many details that Kyle would regret not noticing.

"You can't choose family."

Unexpectedly, Kyle's perfect vision began to sting, as if a film covered his retinas. He bat his eyes once, twice.

Then, his vision blurred. At first, Kyle tried to pretend it wasn't happening, standing erect despite developing a small tick.

He shut his eyes tightly, only to reopened them with no improvement whatsoever.

It happened gradually, but soon everything became a mock up of a pixilated image... He brought his forefinger and thumb to rest between his eyes.

Kyle was going blind.

Cassidy's shoulders dropped. "Kyle?"

Kyle didn't answer, still so intently focused as millions of questions exploded to the forefront of his mind. However, just as steadily as his vision disappeared, it returned. Kyle pulled his hand away and watched his palm cautiously.

Cassidy sent a glance at Adam's Latnok ring hung around Kyle's neck.

It was then he understood, and Cassidy nearly chuckled at the revelation. Cassidy knelt down, tenderly picking up the small delicate remote.

A deep and intricate pressure leaned against Kyle's forehead. Kyle brought up his fingers to rest on top of his upper lip, only to find that he had yet to gain a nosebleed.

"Getting headaches?"

The pod child glanced over at him.

Did he plan on this happening? And finally, Kyle noticed the remote in Cassidy's hand. His suspicions were confirmed. His brain began lightly pulsating, and a light vein was apparent along Kyle's forehead.

Kyle stood up right, speaking in an indisputable accusing tone, "What did you do?"

"Vision blurring?" Cassidy smirked.

When Kyle took so much as a step towards him with a clenched fist, Cassidy pressed the switch once again abusing Kyle with the electricity. The immense contraction of his muscles was getting unbearable, and more importantly the electrocution was reeking havoc to his brilliant mind.

When Cassidy released the button, he returned Kyle's right hook and sent him onto the patio.

"Ah," he panted.

Kyle's breathing hardened. His exhaustion was vivid on his face as well as his hatred. He glared daggers to Cassidy, who was was aloof for once, merely a spectator.

"I will never be apart of Latnok."

Cassidy didn't appear disheartened, surprised… in fact, no immediate reaction was apparent. It was as if Cassidy took Kyle's words as just Kyle's way of coping with the tragic circumstances.

Kyle attempted to hold himself off the patio, continuing, "Killing Sarah, kidnapping Amanda... threatening my family... you'd betray your own brother so much? You bas-... you bast-..."

The word never came. Kyle had never realized what it took to express your disdain. He almost killed the man, and cursing still felt forbidden.

Cassidy approached him, hovering over him. "Of all the people that have betrayed you... I'm the least of your worries."

Kyle visibly locked his jaw.

.

Back at Nate's dorm room, the unveiling of Nate's research lay bare.

Amanda skim read as much as she could before Jessi abruptly scrolled down... and she kept scrolling at a speed that was too fast to even make out the words.

In light of things, she was grateful. However, Amanda couldn't help but watched Jessi's expressions instead. She laid a hand on her shoulder, having almost no doubts that Jessi had read every single word.

.

Cassidy pumped an innumerable amount of volts in Kyle's body. Kyle had to strain just hands just to form fists. His nerves twitched incessantly, and his neck felt like it could break through a noose.

Kyle felt his system slowing down, dying out. And for once, he was able to see his brain for what it really was... a computer.

Cassidy freed the button from his finger, finally pardoning Kyle. Even in his threats and insults, Cassidy remained sympathetic to the tee.

"If you had really saved my life, you would be in your tub sound asleep. If you hadn't lied, deceiving your own brother, the people you loved wouldn't be in danger. It's because of you Kyle, that you lost the girl you loved. On top of that, you couldn't even let Jessi have the small happiness of being with her mother. You caused the greatest emotional torment for your soul mate."

The intensity of Kyle's headaches increased, he could hardly think.

"No..." was all Kyle could say.

"All the pain you're feeling now, is pain that you've inflicted upon yourself." Cassidy waited, wishing that all his words would sink in. "...You may be the world's smartest man - but you, my brother, are the world's dumbest kid."

Kyle was unresponsive, as if what he heard he knew to be true.

Cassidy pulled out a small cell phone, "Come to the Trager home."

Kyle groaned. As he stared mindlessly at the wood floors, he saw the first drop of blood of a profuse nosebleed. His body had met and obliterated his limit. Another pulsating headache attack was streaming through Kyle's mind, and even though Kyle couldn't even feel it... he was omitting his powers. Cassidy slowly pulled away his cellphone from his ear.

"Kyle?"

The enigmatic intensity of Kyle's abilities was far too powerful for Cassidy and Latnok's comprehension... Lights everywhere began beaming to a blinding state.

Cassidy hid his eyes in the crook of his arm, and then Kyle blacked out along with every light in Seattle.

.

Stephen and the family were nearly home, driving through suburban roads when all the street lights glinted only to fade to black. Stephen braked and unknowingly stopped the car between the two lane road. He turned on the high beams.

"What happened?"

Josh and Lori scooted forward in their seats.

.

Jessi and Amanda, in perfect unison, looked to the ceiling lights right when it snapped off. Amanda frowned as she waited, waiting the seconds for it to hopefully flicker back on. When it didn't, she had for some reason, thought of only one name when the comforting familiarity and apprehension hit her all at once.

"Kyle," Amanda whispered accidentally.

Jessi could feel her heart fastening. "Oh no," she muttered in an equally low voice.

"Jessi?"

"We need to get out of here."

Her memory temporarily flashed to the night Amanda was taken away when the both of them were like partners in crime. She could already hear Kyle's voice.

"_Enhance your vision_."

Papers rustled loudly.

Amanda could feel Jessi already moving abruptly. The chair subtlety knocked back and forth and Amanda was compelled to take a step back. The overwhelming darkness couldn't allow her to see two inches in front of her face. Amanda kept a hold of the head of the chair to stay grounded and went to reach for her cell to use as a nightlight, but to find that she didn't have it with her. She was in the total dark.

Amanda could barely make out a silhouette of the girl, and really, she felt like she was imagining it. Jessi was seemingly bending underneath the desk. The small room lightly echoed the noise of Jessi unscrewing and unplugging cables. Hearing Jessi make a small grunt and the quiet sound of a plastic-metal box moving... she realized what Jessi was doing, which was then made painfully obvious when the locking mechanism of the monitor cable clanged against the wall.

"You're stealing his computer?"

"And you're taking the papers." Jessi felt a small pinch of pride, "With the electricity out, there's no way for me to get the data and no way for me to erase it either. Right now, we've got to get this and go as fast as we can."

"So he still has more information?" Amanda asked, already seeing the astonishing entanglements of Kyle's secrets.

"I don't doubt that he doesn't."

"But why do you have to take his computer?" Amanda said, trying to figure out why Jessi couldn't just hack right back in from the safety of Kyle's room when the electricity came on. Nate couldn't prevent her, she was sure of it.

"It's easier," she snapped.

Amanda could hear the hint of finality in Jessi's voice. It wasn't taking the computer that bothered her, it was knowing that Jessi was excluding something. It was the same feeling she would get when she knew Kyle was withholding information. Jessi could see Amanda's, albeit indirect, stare but she knew she had to rush... not for their sakes, but for Kyle's.

Jessi stood up, but when she was about to head out to the door and Amanda wasn't following, she realized that she couldn't see a damn thing. Things wouldn't be so difficult if it was just her and Kyle. She looked around the room, and then down onto the floor. Jessi shrugged…

Amanda could hear Jessi's muffled footsteps on the carpet, and it sounded as if Jessi was walking around her.

BAM!

A loud smacking sound resounded in the room, and immediately Nate grunted and fell into silence yet again. Amanda furrowed her eyebrows... did Jessi just kick him? Apart of her wondered how in the world Jessi could do all that whilst carrying the heavy and large computer and make it sound so effortless. At this rate, Nate wouldn't wake till morning!

The footsteps sounded again, and out of no where, Jessi gave Amanda Nate's cell phone while popping it open for the back light. "Take it."

Amanda held the cell phone in her hand while looking up at her incredulously. She shouted back, this time actually scolding the theft, "His cell phone too, Jessi!"

"We're going!" Jessi seriously singsong-ed, already walking through the hallway.

Amanda shook her head as she quickly grabbed all the folders and research papers off Nate's desk and followed her... Somehow, she completely brushed the event off, and was already wondered how Jessi knew precisely where she was going with no lights to guide her way whatsoever.

.

Stephen drove into the neighborhood, "All the lights are out here, too."

Josh peeked around the block, "Where's Prometheus when you need him?"

"I hope they're okay," Nicole held onto the armrest when Stephen's hand covered hers.

"What I wouldn't give for a blackout that didn't scare the hell out of me."

"You're worrying over nothing! Kyle could handle anything."

Lori shook her head, "Josh, I know you mean well... but Kyle's not Superman, neither is Jessi. They could seriously be hurt."

Josh glanced over at her.

.

Kyle blinked slowly, unable to figure out if he was asleep or not. The calm darkness was both lonely and wonderful. He never felt more at peace in a long time. The bright green gleam in his eye was slowly fading away. Kyle's lips parted, completely content with not moving from his spot on the patio. It felt nice. He wasn't concerned with the pain he endured or even Cassidy for that matter...

Speaking of Cassidy, he seemed to have vanished.

Alone in utter darkness with nothing but the moon to keep company, Kyle smiled at the sight of Amanda's room window.

"Life has always been a journey whether we treat it that way or not. The people we are and people who we will become are shaped by our experiences and our choices, and even the consequences that follow. Change is a natural part of life. But I had to wonder... Is it possible that the person I was before could become a distant memory… an entirely different person?

When I first met the Tragers, family was the most important world to me.

I learned facts and equations in seconds. I accomplished feats that everyone else was incapable of.

And I fell in love.

I was plagued with the destiny that I was meant to live alone but despite of that, the Tragers have always stood by me. There was only one group of people that I could call my family… and that will never change. I will always protect them.**"**

Kyle's eyes closed once again as blood began seeping onto the maple wood patio and for once in Kyle's life and probably for the last time, the unknown became comforting.

.

The Tragers pulled up the driveway, and Stephen left on the headlights. As they all got out of the car, Carol Bloom was seen walking about the sidewalk with a flashlight in hand, "Oh! Stephen, Nicole... is everyone alright?"

"Well, we just got home... we're all fine," Stephen said.

Nicole watched Carol, feeling an irrefutable sense that something was wrong. "Um, Carol is everything alright?"

Carol worriedly crossed her arms, "I haven't been able to find Amanda. Have any of you by any chance seen her?"

Stephen and Nicole looked over at each other, both aware that Latnok may once again target her. Nicole went on with sympathy laced in every word. "Um, no, I'm sorry but we haven't. Lori, Josh?"

Lori shrugged, "I haven't seen her at all today."

Josh nodded, "I haven't seen her either."

Carol sighed, trying her best to keep most of her apprehension at bay, "I've been trying to use my cell phone to reach her, but she's not picking up."

Lori couldn't take the abuse. "I'm sure Amanda's fine. She's probably at the Rack."

"Do you know what caused the blackout?" Stephen asked.

"I have no clue... it all happened about a half hour ago. Around the time I've heard these strange noises, but by the time I went to investigate..." she spread her arms weakly, "this happened."

"Noises? What kind of noises?" Nicole asked.

"Like someone breaking a window," said Carol, completely flaccid.

Nicole didn't like the sound of any of this... not one word. There were plenty of questions that bubbled to the top of her mind but looking over at Carol, a single mother alone in a blackout with no knowledge of where her daughter was, Nicole didn't have it in her heart to turn her away. "Carol, I think you should come to our house for a little while. Lori, could you try calling Kyle again?"

Stephen glanced over at Carol, "Mrs. Bloom, could I borrow your flashlight?"

"Of course..."

Stephen led the group up the long driveway to the door, however... as soon as he pointed the flashlight to the front door, everyone froze.

There was something horrifically different about it. The top of the door was bent outwards with the wood splintering, and it nearly broke off a hinge. Stephen made a run for the door and Josh followed. He grasped the doorknob, but unfortunately the door wouldn't budge the way it had been jolted off the hinges.

"Maybe you should all come to my house instead..." Carol said.

Stephen nodded to his son, **"On three. One... Two... Three!"**

_"Kyle? Jessi!"_

_"Oh no, the backyard!"  
_

_Stephen's feet stepped over the glad, then knelt down onto the patio by Kyle's body. Noticing the small pool of blood that collected beneath Kyle's face, Stephen grimaced tightly at the nosebleed of godly proportions.  
_

_"Oh God, Kyle." Stephen moved Kyle's chin upward and tapped his cheeks, "Kyle? Kyle, can you hear me? Come on, just grunt, make a noise. Wake up. You can do it," he coached.  
_

_Nicole shouted, "Carol, please, call for an ambulance!"_

_"KYLE!"_


	2. Ch 2 Impression

**Author Notes: **In a particular section of this chapter, I've written along with the song "Out of the Shadows" by Matthew Perryman Jones. It was meant to be a sort of montage of a scene so I really do greatly apologize for that. X_x I got caught up with the Kyle XY mood and pictured a montage with that song. If you'd like do, take a listen to it as soon as you see the cue but you don't need to. ;)

Just so you're aware, I still have one more chapter till the episode is over.

The quote just below is very important by the way. It's going to be the core crisis throughout my series. Kyle's extraordinary ability to trust in people is going to give way to a big kick in the heart for Kyle.

* * *

Episode 1: Firewalls

.

**_"Of all the people that have betrayed you, I'm the least of your worries." -Cassidy, Ch.1._**

**_.  
_**

Cassidy strutted confidently through an empty corridor, seemingly unabashed by the slight bruise on his chin.

His hair was slick back as if he was never touched. Upon thinking of the events that occurred a few hours ago, he frowned in disappointment. Alas, Kyle wasn't that great of an accomplishment after all. It proved that Latnok's direction to keep the experiments unborn was the best solution. Any other circumstance, he wouldn't have even bothered to go to Latnok domain... but what choice did he have? The office back in the University of Washington campus was a dangerous site to even venture at the moment, not to mention the pow.

Cassidy was forced to take on the odyssey to the heart of Seattle and stake himself in one of the largest skyscrapers there. Latnok was much more imbued into public society than Kyle or Jessi could ever imagine.

Streaming his keycard through the door, he was given way to his office which didn't operate on public grids and had its own generator in case of situations like these.

He proceeded toward a lone desk as he stretched out his neck dearly hoping the pain of Kyle's punch had on his muscles would numb away. He sat down, and by inputting a simple code the video log began.

"781227, otherwise known as Kyle Trager, committed himself to the overuse of his mental abilities. Apparently, his mind was pushed to the brink of no return. The three-city blackout is of no coincidence. The power, the intelligence is even higher than I had ever imagine.

"Unfortunately, he committed the same sins as Sarah had, and will most likely be unable to access the information in his head. All is not lost, I've already have the contingency plan underway as I speak. In this form, we'll retrieve what we need without the complications of dealing with a humanitarian as iron-willed as Kyle Trager. The files I'm sending you are of 781228, otherwise known as Jessi- last name unmarked: the product of Sarah Emerson and Brian Taylor. If she truly embodies the deceptive ways of her genetic parents, then we will continue our means through her; see file 23 on Madacorp and file 28 on Trager Accident for supporting sources."

Cassidy leaned back in the chair. "On another note, the experiments-namely, the containment fluid, at the warehouse were compromised. It wasn't unexpected considering that we're dealing with seventeen year olds with the mental capacity eons ahead on mental evolution. It was ill preparation."

The red blinking light on the monitor droned on as Cassidy switched to the last bit of his log.

"News with the Latnok apprentices: they've all completed their designated projects but I fear that multiple geniuses are off the beat and path. The sooner they're extricated, the better."

Abruptly, Cassidy logged off. The blackout still loomed over all of Seattle. Cassidy massaged his chin. None of the events went as plan but things have indeed changed into Latnok's favor.

Cassidy folded his arms. Tritely, he smirked.

.

**_Kyle's Dream_  
**

Kyle was in a darkly lit room, in a bed and when he gazed back at the person underneath him, it was none other than Amanda. Her eyes were wholeheartedly awestruck, and her lips poised, blond tresses cradled on her forehead and cheek. Kyle saw the light pout developing on her lips and it amazed him to no end at how he could ever part from this girl. "I love you."

She smiled and Kyle could _feel_ the elated euphoria that was set in her heartbeat. That alone was response enough.

"I love you, too." Amanda affectionately thumbed his lip, sliding her hand over his cheek all the way to his hair. Kyle closed his eyes as he met her lips, and it was just as sweet and tender as he remembered them. By the subtle touches of her hand and the way she curved her neck, Kyle knew it was no other than Amanda. The feeling of her lips pillowing his was bliss.

But when he pulled away and opened his eyes, Amanda was no where to be found. Jessi had utterly replaced her. And yet, Kyle's feelings of love didn't change and neither did his expressions... it was as if the exchange hadn't even don on him.

Outside of his dream, Kyle's heart rate increased. He was deeply confused.

"Jessi," Kyle charmingly slid the auburn locks away from her face.

A feeling of reverence overwhelmed her by his touch. Jessi beautifully smiled up at him, "I'm sorry, Kyle."

.

Kyle eyes gently trembled open. He stared up at the bare ceilings, concern canvassed across his face. Of all things he could think about... of all that's happened, _they_ were the first he worried about.

At the sound of nearby respirators and pulse monitors he already knew precisely where he was: lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by sleeping family members in uncomfortable chairs. The lights were on, it must be thanks for the hospital generators. For a good minute he was at a loss of words when he suddenly bombarded himself with infinite questions. How had they found him? Did they bring him to the hospital? And what of Cassidy? Why didn't he take him away? Did he run off?

Deeply, he sighed. "Jessi?"

Jessi was asleep in the corner of the room, sitting in a chair that just so happened to be right next to the doorway. She probably did so intentionally. Kyle pursed his lips, then glanced over to the Tragers on the other side of the room. Upon looking onto Nicole, he mentally uttered an apology.

Unfortunately, another headache came on and Kyle gripped his forehead. It lasted for only two seconds before Jessi cringed lightly. She woke up gently, but blinking numerously. Slowly, she looked up at Kyle and instantly allowed a small smile grace her face. She stood up, walking unsurely toward him.

And somehow, the headache was already numbing away. It amazed him... how did this headache disappear so quickly?

"Kyle?" Jessi whispered.

"Hey..."

Kyle looked over to her, duly noting that she had some sort of a reaction to his headache, but she didn't seem to make the connection. He was unwittingly staring at her, still trying to discern what happened.

"Are you alright?"

Kyle kept his voice low, "I'm fine."

Jessi approached him, "What happened to you?"

He paused for a moment, unsure how he could tell her that he was related to her mother's murderer. However, given the certain circumstance, he was given a reprieve. "I'll tell you about it later. I'm not too sure if here is exactly a safe place to talk."

A fragile smile appeared on her countenance as she placed a hand on Kyle's arm. Cautiously, Kyle glanced at her hand. Somehow, he found it in himself to relax. "How did I get here?"

Jessi looked over to the sleeping Tragers, "They found you unconscious. The house was a mess... Mrs. Bloom thought there was a robbery."

Kyle furrowed his eyebrows, and in using his arms to sit up he caused Jessi having to let go. "Mrs. Bloom? What did she see? I didn't even think-"

Jessi interrupted him as she took a seat in the chair right beside his bed, "If you're worried that she saw you doing anything, she didn't. She did see the house, and she saw you on the patio... but she didn't see what happened. She was the one who called the ambulance."

Kyle sighed, sending his eyes to where the Tragers were resting.

Jessi however, had a sixth sense that his thoughts were more on the Blooms than the Tragers. She didn't say a word.

"Cassidy knows you're not dead," Kyle said grimly.

"I know."

Kyle looked up at her worriedly but then he remembered Cassidy's words. He repressed the thought immediately.

Jessi spoke in an even and apathetic tone, "It's a long story, but Nate ratted me out."

Without realizing it, Kyle spoke a little above a whisper, "Nate? How did he-?"

And there it was, shining nicely in the moonlit room, Sarah's ring. Her finger wore it proudly. It was wasn't hard to see that Kyle had mixed feelings about seeing it, so much so he couldn't even think of any way to respond. Should he be happy for her? Should he tell her to remove it? Sadly, none of these words came to mind. He was still-framed in a serious and curious expression.

Jessi smiled, raising her hand to show Kyle a much clearer view of the ring. "I finally have something to remember her by."

"Jessi... how did you get it?"

Her smile faded slightly, "Amanda helped me find it."

"Amanda?"

But before he could ask, the rise in their voices have finally woken up someone.

"Kyle?"

Jessi and Kyle both glanced at Lori, who was finally nodding out of sleep. Kyle felt a smile appear on his face, "Lori."

"Thank God..." she said while looking up to the ceiling.

Unsure why, Kyle's lips parted and his eyebrows slightly tightened at the words... how much danger was he in just a few hours ago?

Lori rubbed her mother's leg, "Mom... Dad... Josh... he's awake."

Nicole exhaled deeply, bringing her hand to touch her forehead. "You're alright."

Stephen sighed, bringing his hands to his face, "You really did a number on us, Kyle."

Josh yawned, "A three-city wide blackout... a new personal best."

Kyle relaxed, "You're all here."

Lori remarked, "It comes with the territory."

Almost knowingly, he asked with an already small grin, "Territory?"

Jessi looked at him with great affection, "You're family."

Kyle glanced over at her, and he smiled. His gaze lingered on her. The stare-fest made the entire family uncomfortable.

Lori averted her eyes, "So…" Both pod children glanced over at her. "What exactly happened to you guys?"

Kyle's guilt was written all over his face and Jessi raised her eyebrows, preparing herself to tell the tale. Unknown to them all, Josh creased his mouth into a thin line. His eyes were sunken from his exhaustion. Lori was the only one to notice that the witty Josh commentary was absent.

Before Jessi spoke a word, Nicole abruptly pulled the hospital blankets off her legs, "Maybe you guys should save that till Kyle is released from the hospital."

Stephen stood up as he gently patted his jean pockets searching for his car keys. "Right. Guys, I think we should all head home. It's been a rough night."

Lori groaned as she stood up, "Try a rough week."

"Good night, Kyle. I'm glad you're alright." Just then, Stephen lent out his hand towards him. Kyle took it and Stephen pulled him up for a hug.

Nicole was immediately behind, and she also hugged him. "We'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

Kyle nodded.

"Come on, Jessi."

Lori waved a goodbye and she too was out the door. Everyone but Josh left. He instead lingered at the edge of Kyle's bed.

Kyle noted the long pause that it took for him to even attempt to speak. He didn't even need to attempt to read Josh's heart rate. "Josh?"

"Um, how's your head?" Josh pointed to his own skull.

"Better now," Kyle said. Josh's heart rate was startlingly slow, but knew better than to state it out loud.

Josh placed his hands on the bed post, "You've been out for hours." He forced a laugh along with the next bit of news, "The doctors want to give you an MRI tomorrow... bet they'll think their machines are broken again."

Kyle smirked. He was long aware though, that this was Josh's way of breaking the ice and it proved unsuccessful. Whatever words Josh wanted to say, it never came. The silence lasted for seconds and it was steadily entering their minds that this was all that would come of their conversation.

Josh awkwardly stepped backward, "I'll see you tomorrow, Kyle."

Kyle felt an extreme uneasiness to allow a conversation to die that way, but what more could he do? "See you."

.

Mark beat the buttons his cellphone repeatedly for the back light, trying to find his way around Seattle's empty streets. He felt ridiculous. The recent scare from Kyle's jump and the testy guards at the warehouse was the only thing on his mind. His mind was in shambles. The strong sense of foreboding riddled on the boy's bones. The damn keyguard of his fancy new cellular was agitating to deactivate every twenty seconds. The cellphone could light a damn thing. Mark sighed. He should invest in a pocket flashlight.

At the sudden loud ringing of his cell, he jumped. Mark glanced at the caller ID to find it was the Cassidy himself.

Great, just the person he wanted to avoid. Hesitantly he pushed the glowing green button, "Um, yeah?"

"I need you to check on Nate."

"That'd be kind of hard to do considering I can't even find my car in this blackout. Did you call him?"

"Apparently, he's not picking up. Something may have happened."

"You're saying that because of the blackout?"

Cassidy ignored the question and once again adopted the persona of the charming leading man, "How was the warehouse?"

"It was ...big?" Mark cursed inwardly. He pulled the cell phone away from his ear as he soundlessly smacked his forehead out of his sheer stupidity.

Cassidy's voice lacked amusement, "Did you happen to run into anyone on your little excursion?"

"No one other than your guards. They kicked me out before I could finish. Um, look... I can't talk now."

"Of course. Oh and Mark... leave your cell phone on. I'll be calling again."

The phone call ended, but Mark continued to stare at the counting seconds.

As soon as he closed his phone, he threw it across the street. His glasses tripped to the edge of his nose as he breathed deeply, exhaling purposely through his mouth so he could see the fog in front of his face. He stood still in the abandoned moonlit street.

_-Out of the Shadows- Matthew Perryman Jones-_-

The phone began ringing. It surprised him that the phone didn't even break and he briefly wondered how much a new phone would cost. Mark knew that there were only a few more rings left before it would go into voice mail. But just when it was going fall into silence, Mark took a hold of it, removing it from the asphalt. The sides of his phones were crushed and scuffed, and the screen was scratched.

Sighing, he answered, "Hello?"

The voice he heard on the other line eased all of his tension. It was none other than Lori Trager. "You're okay."

Mark smiled, turning his head over his shoulder, "Yeah."

_Scene shift to Lori and the Tragers in the car-_-

Lori held the phone close to her ear, "At this rate, Seattle's going to be dubbed the world's worst city in every newspaper and magazine."

Mark's voice hummed through the speaker, hinting on his soft chuckle, "Yup. It's Seattle's second major blackout in less than a year."

Lori teased, "Think it's coincidence?"

Quietly, Mark spoke with his own loving smile, "Not a chance."

.

Elsewhere, Declan and Jackie were holding hands, walking down the sidewalk nearly at her apartment.

"So, what would you call this: dating? More than friends?" Jackie prodded as she continued swinging his hand near her thigh.

Declan stopped walking as he brought her hand onto his hips, and he hugged her close to him, "I'd call it a relationship."

Jackie smiled then decided to kiss him. Awkwardly, she left him at the doorstep. "Hope you won't have trouble finding your way home."

Declan shrugged, "I won't. Blackouts are nice to have once in awhile."

Jackie curiously looked on at him, "Good night."

"Good night."

Lights everywhere began turning on. Light after light, Declan watched, following the electric current till every streetlight he could see was lit.

"Guess your blackout is over, huh?"

.

Andy was barely asleep on a motel bed as her pale hands reached behind her for her cell phone that slipped out from her pocket. Quizzically, she blinked at the small screen... 1 new text message. Andy flipped her phone open, and saw Josh's text: I love you.

It was plain, and lacked personality. It was simple, and it held no visible sincerity that she was sure that no text message would ever be capable of carrying. But it was memorable and at that, Andy smirked.

She texted back: Forever and ever?

Andy closed her phone... minutes later, she was almost too asleep to even noticed that her phone vibrated again. "Forever and ever, babe."

She had to remember to scold him for stealing that _Click_ line.

.

Amanda squeezed the latch of the doorknob. She sighed out of relief glad to know she was finally home. Amanda pushed the door open, and stepped inside. She hoped that her mother was dead-asleep for the last three hours...

But as soon as she released the door knob, throwing the door to close, she saw her mom running down the stairs. "Amanda?"

Her head sunk, and her eyes trailed the carper floor, "I know, I know, I'm sorry-" she looked just in time to catch her mother silenced her with a hug.

"Mom?"

She was counting the seconds. Amanda nearly forgot how soft and cold her mother's arms were. When it became clear Carol wouldn't let go, Amanda smiled away the tension and hugged her back. Goodness, she hadn't hugged her mother in so long. She let her chin rest on her mother's shoulder. Little did Carol know, she was comforting Amanda in many more ways than she realized. This hug was what she needed, especially after the ordeal with Jessi, Nate, and Kyle.

The lights in

Amanda pulled away and smiled. "I forgot my phone..."

Carol shook her head, and even laughed as she placed her hand on her daughter's cheek.

.

Kyle bit his lip as he looked onto Adam's ring in his right hand. Rocking it with his thumb, the sapphire glinted.

The rings brought only misfortune to his and Jessi's life. To Kyle, it no longer represented something worth remembering. All Latnok ever did was threaten everything Kyle held dear... how was it possible that Adam was once one of them, and let alone defend them?

Dejectedly, he placed the ring on the nearby desk.

With perfect timing, Kyle looked out the window just as the city lights finally came back on. He watched half of Seattle's grid switch on in a massive spectacle. As the final lights revived, Kyle glanced up at the sky, but only felt the disenchantment that the stars were no longer there.

Kyle pursed his lips together, silently nodding his head. With the light of science, dies the light of nature.

.

The Tragers walked through their home to see that all the doors and the patio were just like new. Everything was replaced and wiped clean… Latnok's presence was yet again removed from existence.

Josh tested the switch a couple of times and got the perfect response every time.

Jessi walked to the backyard, knowing that this was where Kyle nearly died. As soon as she enhanced her eyesight, she stared thoughtfully at the spot where she knew where his blood once was... but hearing a certain heartbeat, she glanced upward to see Amanda at her bedroom window looking down onto her. Amanda attempted to smile, wondering what the two girls were to each other now.

At first, Jessi just stared up at her with seemingly no interest but then, she smirked. Taking bold steps backwards, she coolly pivoted on her heel and went back inside the house.

Amanda smirked as well.

Jessi didn't like the idea that Latnok was in her home... but she did enjoy the fact that their secret, hers and Kyle's, will _stay_ hers and Kyle's for just a little longer.

.

_"We can find our way back..."_- Matthew Perryman Jones

.

Mark cautiously pushed the slightly open door of Nate's dorm, only to find Nate sitting at his computer chair with a cut on his lower lip. He looked as though he was mugged.

Without needing any prompting, Nate spoke up nonchalantly, still busying himself looking through his desk, "You were right."

Mark spoke in an understanding but unforgiving voice, "Cassidy was calling for you. You should leave it be, Nate. Don't you care about what your mentor told you?"

Nate shot him a glare, "I can end it."

.

**_In the Morning_**

Kyle blinked nervously along with the loud churning of the MRI machine. Living a life of secrets, Kyle needed to figure out how to make his MRI scans appear normal or else with the current run of his medical history never having a "solid" MRI scan will only come back to haunt him.

"You're doing great, Kyle. Just a little longer."

Kyle sat silently in his bed. It'd been drizzling since early morning, and it refused to let up.

Will things ever be over, he questioned himself. Will it ever be possible to live a normal life? Would Jessi even want a normal life? Could he ever tell Amanda the truth? Could there ever be a time where he wouldn't ever have to worry about Zzyxz, Madacorp, or Latnok?

It really didn't seem so.

Kyle laid his head back onto the top of the pillow... the bed was so open. He couldn't sleep all night.

He shook his head. He was digressing. Solemnly, he tried to keep his mind focused on Cassidy.

The thought of having him of all people as a brother truly bothered him. It went against everything Kyle associated with family. Almost immediately, he wondered how he would tell Jessi that he was the brother of her mother's murderer.

Kyle was sitting up as straight as the hospital bed would let him, staring listlessly at nothing in particular.

The confrontation went against nearly everything he thought Latnok was willing to do. Was it possible that Cassidy would launch another attack? Was he capable of doing so? Kyle didn't think so, especially not after revealing their blood relationship. Most likely, Cassidy was trying to avoid another plan gone awry. Kyle was confident that for the time being they were all safe.

A soft knock sounded, catching all of Kyle's attention. The knob turned slowly and as the door eased open, Kyle was looking eye-to-eye with Amanda Bloom. In the back of his mind he wondered why he hadn't heard her heartbeat in advance...

She was standing at the open doorway, appearing both apprehensive yet grateful.

"Amanda?"

"Too bad the hospitals don't have bathtubs, huh?"

Upon hearing the lighthearted tone, Kyle smiled. "It's a tough transition."

Amanda strode over to a nearby chair, "You'll live. I talked to the nurse, apparently in a few hours you'll get released."

"Why a few hours?"

"I guess they still want to monitor you, you might..."

"-have a seizure," Kyle finished for her.

The doctors have told him before, they were highly concerned about his amnesia and the seizure that landed him in the hospital last time. He was in "high risk" of his brain shutting down or getting another seizure. None of them had an inkling what caused Kyle to pass out. Ironically, they completely ruled out electrocution. They assumed that the three-city blackout was impossible to pull off in his own home.

The power that he held was far superior than both Adam or Sarah would ever possess... his body may collapse sooner than he anticipated if he kept going at this rate.

Kyle deeply inhaled, but then he noticed Amanda's concerned gaze staring at what seemed to be the hairs on his arm. He contemplated quietly on how to relieve her, but he only thought of one way and that was by holding her hold. Cautiously, he placed his hand on hers. Her hands were always warm. Jessi's hands on the other hand were usually cold.

"I'll be fine. I know I'll be."

Amanda looked at their hands but her saddened countenance hadn't lightened. Kyle was slightly disappointed, but he assumed now that they weren't "together" such a simple gesture wouldn't be as endearing as he hoped it would be for her. Kyle acknowledged that he and Amanda have indeed grown apart. The thought made him frown.

"Promise?"

Kyle was taken off guard, but nonetheless his entire face relaxed seeing her peaceful expression. "Promise."

Amanda squeezed his hand, "Then I know it'll happen."

Kyle smiled. So even their time apart couldn't make the bond they once shared disappear. "Thank you for coming."

Amanda shook her head, "I wanted to."

"I heard about Nate. Jessi told me that you helped her find her mother's ring. Although she might not say it, I want to thank you."

"I didn't really..." Amanda broke their eye contact. "You should be thanking Jessi. She saved me, after all."

Absentmindedly, Kyle allowed his thoughts to stream back to Jessi and lightly smiled at her changes.

Amanda could see a 'Jessi look' envelop his face. It stung a little, it stung more than she wanted it to. Suddenly, she felt Kyle rubbed his thumb against her hand in a loving and soothing manner. Her distress eased just a tad. He might have moved on but nonetheless, Kyle still gave her the feeling that he didn't.

Kyle genuinely asked, "Why'd you go?"

Amanda couldn't help but shake her head at Kyle, but certainly her smile didn't fade.

"I did it because..." Amanda fidgeted, then she changed her answer, "Jessi and I stole the information so Nate wouldn't have it anymore."

Kyle's eyes widened. "You stole the information?"

"It was better than firebombing his dorm room," she fired back knowingly.

Kyle laughed lightly. Firebombing was a popular sport among his friends. But after the small laughs, the small silence built up between them. It was a bittersweet moment, for they both realized bringing up the "information about him" would only led up to the many secrets he kept from her.

Kyle moistened his lips before whispering, "Will you tell me what happened?"

Amanda understood the delicate tone he was using, it seemed that Kyle was still apologizing for all the secrets. Even in that she was grateful, but when she was about to speak a doctor with thick grayish, black hair waltzed in.

"Well, Kyle-" The doctor stopped realizing Kyle had a visitor, then greeted her, "Oh, good morning!"

"Dr. Kindlemen," Kyle spoke as Amanda quickly smirked as a 'hello' gesture.

He wafted black transparencies, "Kyle, I have your MRI results."

As the doctor clipped the results on the board, switching on the light, Kyle immediately knew something was wrong. His jaw nearly dropped by the shock of seeing the results showing a perfectly normal MRI scan.

"I don't know how you did it Kyle but your results are normal. There aren't any signs of trauma, brain lesions, and you're obviously not experiencing any type of amnesia."

The word 'amnesia' wasn't heard by either of them for a long time. The word in itself was nearly nostalgic. Amanda felt herself smile at it.

The doctor slid off his thin framed glasses off his nose, swinging in his rolling chair to the filing cabinet nearby. Doctor Kindlemen hurriedly glanced at the two with a second-pace smile, "If you're feeling alright, you can go home."

Amanda looked over to Kyle but saw an expression she wasn't readily expecting. His eyes were intense, and his brows lightly furrowed.

Kyle's thoughts were completely immersed with Latnok and Cassidy. They must've involved themselves... somehow. It happened before. But in the back of Kyle's mind, he was skeptical... it had to be fake, right? Without him realizing it, he squeezed Amanda's hand just a little bit tighter. Amanda however, did.

.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

Electricity or butterflies?


End file.
